The Official Diamondbacks Offseason Thread

[Lefty]

Diamondbacks sign Juan Cruz to a one-year contract.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/106718

 

[Lefty]

Looks like the Diamondbacks might sign Eric Hinske.

Diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and free agent outfielder/first baseman, Eric Hinske checked in this morning while preparing to attend the Packers/Giants NFC Championship Game later today. The former Sox said it was the coldest he can ever remember, a temperature that only figures to dip more as they get into the evening hours.

Hinske thinks he might finalize a deal with a team at some point this week, with a few sources suggesting that Arizona is a strong possibility as a final landing spot for the 30-year-old. The Red Sox are intent on exploring other options, such as the aforementioned Brad Wilkerson, to fill the role of outfielder/infielder/left-handed hitter off the bench. And just to clarify, the Red Sox would not be offering anything close to the 3 years, $21 million that other reports has Wilkerson/Scott Boras searching for.

 

[overseascardfan]

Looks like the Diamondbacks might sign Eric Hinske.

Diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and free agent outfielder/first baseman, Eric Hinske checked in this morning while preparing to attend the Packers/Giants NFC Championship Game later today. The former Sox said it was the coldest he can ever remember, a temperature that only figures to dip more as they get into the evening hours.

Hinske thinks he might finalize a deal with a team at some point this week, with a few sources suggesting that Arizona is a strong possibility as a final landing spot for the 30-year-old. The Red Sox are intent on exploring other options, such as the aforementioned Brad Wilkerson, to fill the role of outfielder/infielder/left-handed hitter off the bench. And just to clarify, the Red Sox would not be offering anything close to the 3 years, $21 million that other reports has Wilkerson/Scott Boras searching for.

He has really fallen off since winning the AL ROY a few years ago. Don't know what kind of year he had last year but I guess you can never have enough depth on the corners.

 

[HooverDam]

Its not really D'backs news, but I didn't think it warranted its own thread:

Gonzo signs w/ the Fish:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3224335

That just seems bizarre to me. Why wouldn't he try to land in the AL somewhere? He hasn't been able to play the outfield in years, and while maybe he'll be OK at first, he knows he's going to lose close to 100 games with the Fish. It seems like there would be an AL team out there somewhere who could use a guy who can still hit a fair amount of doubles and hit for an OK average.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

The Twins are close to signing Livan Hernandez, meaning the Diamondbacks will wind up with a supplemental first rounder in the draft as compensation.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/NickPiecoro/16985

 

[Lefty]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3250820

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Veteran outfielder Trot Nixon, still hoping to latch on with a big-league club as a free agent, auditioned for the Arizona Diamondbacks at the team's spring training complex in Tucson on Sunday.

Nixon, 33, is a .275 hitter with 136 home runs in 11 seasons with Boston and Cleveland. After struggling to stay healthy during the end of his tenure with the Red Sox, he hit .251 with three homers in 307 at-bats for the Indians last season.

Arizona opened up Nixon's workout so other interested teams could take a look. Toronto, Seattle and the Los Angeles Dodgers all had scouts on hand to watch him.

Arizona's starting outfield is set for 2008 with Eric Byrnes in left field, Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right, but the Diamondbacks might be in the market for a left-handed bat off the bench as corner man Chad Tracy rehabilitates from offseason knee surgery. Tracy recently suffered a blot clot in the knee and isn't scheduled to begin running until Feb. 24. It's questionable whether he'll be ready Opening Day.

The Diamondbacks cut ties earlier this winter with switch-hitter Tony Clark, who hit 17 homers in 221 at-bats in 2007. They expressed a passing interest in veterans Eric Hinske and Mark Sweeney before those two players found jobs elsewhere.

Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes recently said it's "50-50'' whether the club will add another hitter this spring.

Nixon, Kenny Lofton, Corey Patterson, Shannon Stewart, Reggie Sanders, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds are among the outfielders who have yet to find jobs in a trying offseason for MLB free agents.

 

[Lefty]

Diamondbacks sign Trot Nixon.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3256436

 

[devilfan02]

Diamondbacks sign Trot Nixon.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3256436

I doubt he makes the team. I find it hard to believe that Tracy will be healthy by opening day but I still don't see where Nixon fits in. Burke and Ojeda can fill the role that Nixon would much better and with Montero's injury I don't see us cutting Hammock. We'll see, I guess he's a decent insurance policy